Cajun Catfish, Beer Bread, and Broccoli with Cheese

Looking for a simple meal that you can put together quickly without skimping on taste? This is one of my personal favorites (and my cats especially enjoy the fish raw... not always intentionally.) So let's dive in and whip up some cajun catfish, beer bread, and good ol' broccoli with cheese.

Beer Bread
It's best to start with the beer bread since it will take a while in the oven. While it is cooking you will have plenty of time to prepare the fish and broccoli. Not a big fan of beer? Surprisingly, neither am I. But for some reason, even though this bread does have a beer taste, I find it absolutely delicious. And, take note, generally quite the crowd pleaser.


Preheat your oven to 350. While it is heating mix together in a large bowl:
3 cups bread flour
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 c sugar

Once the dry ingredients are mixed, add 12 fl ounces of beer. You can use any beer that you like! I generally grab whatever is in the fridge, so I have made this with anything from Sam Adams to PBR to Pacifico. Stir the beer into the dry ingredients. The dough will not be quite as thick as normal bread dough, but do not worry.

Pour the batter into a greased 8 x 5 bread pan. Melt 1/2 cup of butter (I, of course, use fake butter) and pour the melted butter on top of the bread in the pan.

Bake at 350 for 45-50 min. Make sure to place a large piece of foil or an extra cookie sheet below the bread pan. The butter sometimes drips off as the bread is rising and you do not want it burning on the coils of your oven (unless you really enjoy setting off the smoke alarm.)

I enjoy this bread plain (it has a surprisingly strong but light flavor on its own) or with jam, but many people also like it with butter.

Cajun Catfish
Yes, with this recipe you can easily cheat and buy it at your local gourmet supermarket already covered with cajun spice. Yes, I do this all of the time! So feel free to make it on your own or buy it pre-spiced. (After all it's not much work either way.)

Heat a small amount of oil (probably 1 tsp) in a pan over medium heat. Add the fish. If it is pre-seasoned, then you are good to go. If not, sprinkle liberally with cajun spice. Let it cook for about 5-7 minutes. The fish should be sizzling lightly at the end of that time. Flip it over. If you started with plain catfish, sprinkle this side liberally with cajun spice as well.

After another 5-7 minutes check the fish. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness and number of filets in the pan. If you are unsure if it is done, use your spatula to make a little cut to peer at the middle of a filet. The fish should be a solid, opaque white and flake easily. If it is still hard to cut the fish or it is translucent then it is not done.

Broccoli with Cheese
While there are many far fancier ways to make broccoli with cheese I actually genuinely prefer the simple, childhood method. And after all, this is supposed to be a fast and easy meal to prepare, right?

Cut up your broccoli into forkful-sized pieces. I like to trim the stems down pretty far and split the broccoli into many smaller pieces. Place them in a microwavable dish and microwave on high for about 4 minutes. (This will work for 2 small heads of broccoli or one large head. Adjust the time as needed if you are making more or less broccoli.)

Once the broccoli comes out of the microwave place slices of American Cheese (fat free preferred) liberally across the broccoli. Put a lid back on the dish or cover securely with foil. Give the cheese about 3 minutes to melt and you are good to serve it.

Congratulations! You just made a delicious, healthy dinner in no time at all. Take advantage because we have some longer, complicated recipes coming our way in the next few days.

(WO)Men in Power?

Which gender is better off these days? Men still rule the world; they dominate in politics, business, and finance. They earn more. They don't have to be pregnant. Or worry nearly as much as women do about rape or domestic violence. Seems pretty good, right? Well, not according to one University of Chicago student who started a group called Men in Power. And to be honest, it's rather interesting.

Let's look at the personal. Nearly 25% of women are raped or physically assaulted by a current or former partner/date during their lifetime. 25%. Can you get much scarier than that? Absolutely not. But, still, 7.6% of men face the same thing. Obviously, it's a much bigger problem for women, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a problem for men. 7.6% is still a lot of men.

Yes, 87% of stalkers are men. 83% of spouse murderers are men. 84% of spouse abuse victims are women and 86% of dating abuse victims are women. Clearly this is not a balanced view. But yes, the remaining 14% of dating abuse victims who are men still deserve help.

Let's look at the professional. Women earn 58% of bachelor's degrees and 59% of master's degrees. And it's well known at this point that men have lost more jobs in the recession than women. Soon we could have a work force that is majority women. Granted, women still only earn 80 cents for every man's dollar. But you could say the future is not necessarily all bad for women and rosy for men. The world is getting more complicated than that.

So do we need a men's group? Are men at a disadvantage? My guess? Perhaps and no. Men in Power has sparked all sorts of news and a fair amount of outrage. How dare they? Well, they dare. And I can't say I think it's necessarily such a bad thing. Do I think men are at a disadvantage in this world? No, but then, I don't necessarily think that the members of Men in Power believe that either. They never complained that men were at a severe disadvantage and had to organize to overcome their historical problems. If they did, I might have a few qualms. Did I mention that 83% of spouse murderers are men? Or that men don't have to get pregnant?

But if men want to organize and discuss issues that DO affect them, how is that possibly a problem? Paternity rights are nowhere near equal to maternity rights. Our president is asking men to step up and be fathers; he is asking men to realize that being a man is about raising a child and being responsible for a child, not getting a woman knocked up. And if we want men to step up and be responsible, shouldn't we give them the same rights and protection as women? Who was it that assumed that all women are better child raisers than men are?

And while very few men are raped or abused, the few that are typically face even more stigmatization than women do, which is truly saying something. Shouldn't they get the help and support they need?

And what about these new college stats? Is it so wrong that Men in Power wants to encourage more men to further their education and go into medicine, law, and business? Of course not. The more qualified and smart people we have entering these fields the better off we are. Who cares what gender they are?

Finally, Men in Power talks about mentoring. They have formed a program called Little Men in Power. There are 10.4 million single mother families in this country. There are 2.5 million single father families. Interestingly enough, that's men gaining equality. But still, the majority of single parents are women. Which means boys growing up without a father. And there are a lot of them. And even in families with two parents, the father is more likely to be absent (although that number, too, is becoming more equitable.) Big Brothers and Big Sisters always have a shortage of big brothers. Of men. So, to me, Little Men in Power sounds pretty great. What better role model for a boy in middle school than a boy in college who is working to excel? Seems like a good message to send to me.

So let Men in Power grow. Let it expand. Let more groups spring up. I do not see this as a threat to women's groups; I see it as a separate entity. There are important points for them to make and important work for them to do. And if they can fight, especially in areas that are overlooked for men, then good for them.

No, men do not face the plethora of obstacles in life that women still do. But as I said before, no one was claiming that they do. And just because they have fewer barriers doesn't mean that the existing ones are any harder to overcome.

After all, true equality is equality for all. In every arena. Any man want to try getting pregnant?

I Love Crepes

I LOVE CREPES! It's true. While I love cooking and eating in general, and have many favorites, crepes are one of my true loves in life. Really, who doesn't enjoy a crepe? They can be sweet or savory, served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, filled with fruits and vegetables, chicken or beef, or simply some sugar, which is my personal favorite.

I generally prefer desert crepes, but feel free to use this recipe to create whichever kind that you most desire! Just keep in mind that these are quite thin and will not do well with a thick, heavy filling.


The best way to make crepes is with a crepe maker. If you have ever bought a crepe at a creperie, you will see large, circular stove tops that are completely flat, like pancake griddles. The cooks will pour the batter directly onto these circles and use a wooden utensil to flatten out the crepe. A personal, at-home crepe maker does this very similarly in a very simple manner. I believe in always having at least one crepe maker around. I am sure there are many great brands out there, but here is one example here.

To prepare your crepe batter, combine:
1.5 cups skim milk
1.5 cups flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla.

Use skim milk to make this recipe healthier, but it is best to use real eggs here. Using fake ones will cause the batter to stick to the crepe maker. At this point, grease your crepe maker with vegetable oil and plug it in to heat up. While the crepe maker is heating, beat your batter with a mixer. This batter must be extremely fine without any clumps at all in order to form crepes correctly. You can reach this consistency by hand, but it will take a long time. I use a handheld mixer to go faster.

Once the batter is completely smooth, test the crepe maker by dropping a speck of water onto it. If the water sizzles, you are ready to begin. Pour the batter into a pie dish (in the link above a dish for the batter is shown) or another similar circular dish. Turn the crepe maker upside down and, very quickly, dip the top of it into the batter and lift out. You do not want to hold the crepe maker in the batter or it will cook the entire quantity. Set the crepe maker back down on the counter. The batter should be in a thin circular layer covering the top of the crepe maker but not dripping over the sides. If it is dripping that means you dipped it into the batter too deeply.

As soon as the batter on top of the crepe maker is cooked (no more batter patches) then turn the crepe maker upside down and use a butter knife to lightly lift an edge, letting the crepe fall from the crepe maker onto a plate. Make sure not to scrape the teflon coating of your crepe maker. You should only have to use the knife to lift an edge; the cooked crepe should fall off smoothly. It should only be lightly browned in spots, at most. If it is a deeper brown or if it is crunchy then the crepe was left on to cook for too long and you should adjust the timing accordingly. Each crepe cooks very quickly.

Do not get discouraged if this doesn't work perfectly at first! Crepe makers take a little getting used to, but are quite simple once you are familiar with them. In fact, when I cook for large groups I use two crepe makers at the same time to go faster.

The recipe above makes enough for 2-3 people. Double the recipe for 4+ people.

Serve your crepes with sugar, fresh berries, and nutella. I prefer to put out cup up strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, sugar, and nutella so that everyone can make their crepes as they go. If you prefer, try using other fillers or even stuff them yourself before serving.

Servings: 3
Serving Size:
Nutrition: calories 428; carbs 51g; fat 17g; protein 17g; sodium 126mg

Garlic and Herb Oven-Fried Halibut, Garlic Fries, and Corn on the Cob

Would you believe that nothing here is actually fried? That this meal is actually quite reasonably healthy?

This recipe will not break the calorie bank, although it might just leave your breath rather garlicky, so have the breathmints ready and let's dive in!

We'll start with the french fries since they take the longest to cook, then get the fish going while the fries are in the oven and finish off with the corn. I'd like to thank Cooking Light for their recipes and inspiration as I continue to explore in my kitchen.

Garlic Fries
Sorry, can't claim credit for this one! You can find it here. These are actually surprisingly simple to make. You are mostly cutting up potatoes and cooking them for a long time. And they are delicious when done! But be careful to make sure that the butter is very hot in the pan before you toss the potatoes in or else you will end up with soggy fries. I turned my heat to about medium for this. Also, these are incredibly garlicky, so if you are not a fan, or have a big date later on, you might want to cut back on some of the cloves. But they are delicious with the garlic if you can handle it!

While the potatoes are baking in the oven, you can start on the fish.

Garlic and Herb Oven-Fried Halibut
I absolutely love Halibut. It is rich and light all at the same time, and somehow uniquely "summer." It does not have a strong flavor in and of itself, however, so you must add something to it. In this case, we are "oven frying" it to give it a crispy outside and warm, almost melt-worthy, inside.

See the basics here. You can always use regular breadcrumbs if you cannot find panko, but in this recipe it definitely tastes better with the Japanese version. Try to track down the panko if you can! Unlike regular bread crumbs, panko is almost mini pieces of bread that have been grated, providing the crunch that makes this fish taste as if it has been lightly fried.

Basically, you are dredging the fish to coat it, browning it, and then baking. It took a bit longer than 6 minutes per side for my fish to bake through since it was a thicker piece, so always make sure to test your fish before assuming it's done. Do not overcook, however, or the fish will dry out. As the fish is baking, turn to your vegetable.

Corn on the Cob
For the final step of this dinner, we are simply ordering up a basic corn on the cob. Peel your cobs, breaking off the stem at the end if it remains. Wrap each cob in wax paper. Microwave at 2.5 minutes per ear. Presto, you're done! Serve with fake butter or just enjoy plain like I do!

Vote in My Poll, Please!

I can't make decisions :) So please see the poll to the left! And vote!

Grilled Cheese: Because Kids Know What They Are Doing

Mmmmmmm...... Now I want another one. That's the problem with pictures.

Although the grilled cheese gets a bad rep as kid's food, I stand by the declaration that it is delicious at all ages. I don't know if it's the crisp in the bread, the melti-ness of the cheese, or maybe the nostalgia that springs forth with every bite, but I really and truly love a grilled cheese sandwich. And here, I tell you how to make it reasonably healthy.

When you buy a grilled cheese at a restaurant you can be sure your arteries are blocking up with each bite that you take. There are mounds of butter and oil soaking into that thing. But there is really no reason you cannot duplicate the taste in a far more healthful manner. I'm not saying it's actually particularly healthy, just that it won't cause a heart attack in one sitting.

All you need for this is: two slices of bread, cheese, fake butter, and tomato (optional.) Put about 1 tsp of fake butter into a pan and let it melt over medium to medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, drop two slices of bread into the pan so they are lying flat next to each other. Place a slice of cheese on each one. The best cheeses to use are American or Velveeta (for a lower fat option buy the LF American Cheese.) Buy them in the sliced variety, individually wrapped, that you used as a kid.

If you are making your grilled cheese with tomato then cut 2-3 slices and place them in the pan as well so they are lying flat next to the bread. The tomato should sizzle when you put it in.

Keep an eye on your grilled cheese, but generally let it sit for about 5-7 minutes, flipping the tomato halfway through. After the 5-7 minutes, move the tomato on top of one of the slices. Continue to let the sandwich cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. American cheese will not look melted the way grated cheese will, so poke it lightly with your spatula to judge its softness. Flip one slice of bread on top of the other, with the tomato in the middle, so that you now have a complete sandwich. The bread should be browned. Take it out, cut it in half, and enjoy! Watch out for hot cheese drippings!

Hint: If you are craving a grilled cheese but feel silly making one, then spice it up. In addition to tomato, grilled cheese tastes great with slices of avocado. Or, if you made my sundried tomato spread, then add some of that on as well!

I Really Love Working Out

Really.

I know, it makes me the doctor's dream. But I really do love it. I'm not just saying that. It's not that I love just the effects either (because who doesn't love being in shape?) I love the whole thing - being tired and sore yet refreshed, being sweaty and eager for a shower, getting my heart beating faster and breathing hard... It's great.

But despite my incredible love for working out, it doesn't always override my dread of waking up. And that's why, sometimes, a reward is needed.

I wake up at 7 AM every morning, struggle out of bed, feed my cats, and hurry across the street to the gym. I work out until 8:15 (theoretically an hour if I do not snooze) and then run back to my apartmetn to get showered/dressed and out the door to work on time. And it feels great, to be honest. While I am exhausted when I struggle out of bed, by the time I am done with my workout I am energized and ready for the day. And it lasts. I am in a better mood, eat healthier (ironic, isn't it?) and am generally feeling well. The problem, of course, is that when my alarm blares at 7 AM I cannot always think that far in advance.

That's where rewards come in.

While I know that I should work out when I'm attempting to get out of bed, sometimes knowing that I will be happier later doesn't fully sink in. But picturing a prize at the end of the road is easy to do, even in a half awake state. When I first got to DC I promised myself that if I went three consecutive weeks to the gym that I would earn a massage. Every morning I would think about it, and it worked.

And it was worth it.

But I can't promise myself massages every three weeks unless I start earning significantly more money. So what are the next prizes? Help me out!

My friend, Steph, has promised that if I reach 40 consecutive days then she will come visit me this fall in DC. (And yes, that is a good thing.) So who else wants to get in on the fun? Who else wants to promise a prize? Use my beautiful comment box that only Lindsay has used so far!!! Post away!!!! (Absolutely ridiculous prizes encouraged.)

(BTW - I feel bad asking... but since I have no other forum for it... which Lindsay? In lieu of posting your last names here, Lindsay from sorority? from Birthright? Or from middle school bus rides???? Either way - thanks for posting!)

Brown Sugar and Mustard Salmon, Cajun Fingerling Potatoes, and Broccoli-Mushroom Saute

Ready to tackle this dinner? Not quite as bad as it sounds. I woud leave an hour for the entire preparation. Just make sure that you have all of the ingredients on-hand in advance!

And please excuse this picture. Sadly, I forgot to whip out my camera until after a certain roommate had already dug into his meal.

Now, let's break down the three parts of this meal! As is often the case, some of these recipes come from one of my favorite magazines, Cooking Light.

Cajun Fingerling Potatoes
Since these take the longest to cook, I decided to start with them. I am a huge fan of fingerling potatoes. They typically come in 3 kinds - purple, red, and white. Yes, those are the technical names! But really, they are quite tasty. They are quite small, finger-sized, and are rather knobbly, but are fully mature at this size. They have more flavor than a regular potato and each of the colors has its own unique flavoring with subtle texture differences as well.

Most upscale grocery stores (i.e. Whole Foods) will carry them, but if you are unable to located fingerling potatoes then simple mini red potatoes or new potatoes will suffice.

Chop the washed fingerling potates in half or in quarters if they are large; each piece should be bite sized, less than a cubic inch. Place them in a large bowl and sprinkle with olive oil. Use just enough to lighly coat them when they are well tossed but not enough to pool at the bottom of the bowl or soak the potatoes. If you are unsure about how much to add then just add a little bit at a time, tossing between adding to see how well it coats the potatoes. I believe I probably used about a tablespoon, but it varies with the number of potatoes used as well. Sprinkle cajun spices (you can buy "Cajun Spice" in any supermarket and this is a staple in any kitchen) into the bowl and toss the potatoes until they are coated with the spice. Place on a greased baking sheet. The potatoes should be in one layer across the baking sheet. If they are piling up higher than that, then you need more sheets! Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes. Cooking time will vary slightly depending on the size of the pieces, so if they are on the small side you might want to check at 20 or 25 minutes. The potatoes should be slightly sizzling in the oven and tender when cooked correctly.

Brown Sugar and Mustard Salmon
Surprise! I actually mostly followed the recipe for this one, but there are still a few exceptions. Live in an apartment like I do? Makes grilling more difficult. I am lucky in that there is a roof deck with some (fake a.k.a. electric) grills, but toting everything up and down the stairs and chasing away the other residents can eventually get tiring. To speed up the cooking process, I decided to stick to the stove in my apartment.

I prepared the sauce as instructed minus the ginger since I am not such a big fan of the flavor. I spread the sauce on the salmon to marinate for fifteen minutes and heated a little bit of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. I then tossed in the salmon and let it cook, flipping halfway through. The cooking time for salmon varies greatly depending on the thickness of the filet and how rare or well done you prefer your fish, but I cooked it fully through in 15-20 minutes (7-10 minutes on each side.) If you are unsure if it's done, simply cut it in half with the spatula - the diners will cut off a piece anyway so simply use portioning as your excuse!

Sauteed Broccoli and Mushrooms
This, too, is a recipe from Cooking Light. And once again, I followed it generally true to form. I added some extra shallots since I am a fan of their flavor, using probably 1/2 a cup of them. I also let the broccoli cook longer in the broth, for about ten minutes rather than the prescribed five. This made the broccoli tender rather than crispy. This was a decision based on personal taste, so feel free to stick with the five minutes if that sounds better to you.

Want a vegetarian version? Simply substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. The taste will obviously vary a little, too, but should be just as delicious!

Buttermilk Pancakes... a Classic

Looking for a good brunch? Buttermilk pancakes are one of those classics of which people never tire. Don't have any buttermilk around? Well, go get some! While regular pancakes can certainly be made, and are quite good, the buttermilk adds a lightness and fluffiness that is truly unmistakeable. And, as you can see, this pile is a mix of regular buttermilk pancakes as well as chocolate chip ones. Syrup, anyone?

Pancakes are quite simple to make. While most recipes ask that you mix together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another, I find that it does not truly make much of a difference. If the batter will be sitting around, it certainly does, but if you mix just before cooking you should feel free to mix all at once!

If you have a specific pancake griddle (the flat stoves that are rather like indoor electric grills) then use that. If not, you should use a flat pancake pan on your stove. Grease it with some pam or a bit of vegetable oil and let it heat up on medium while you mix the batter.

Mix together in a bowl:
3 cups flour
3 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1.5 tsps baking soda
3/4 tsps salt
3 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1/3 cup fake butter (melted)

If you want to make it a bit healthier you can use fake butter (I Can't Believe It's Not Butter) and egg beaters instead of eggs. Also feel free to do half of the substitutes and half of the original, if you prefer.

You can use a mixer, but I usually just mix the batter by hand. It is okay if it is not silky smooth as long as it is well mixed with no chunks.

Test the pan/griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water - if it sizzles it is ready. Once the pan is ready ladle some batter on to create whatever size pancakes you prefer.

If you want to make blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes add those at this time, sprinkling them onto the pancakes on the griddle and pushing them into the batter so they are roughly even with the top of the batter. Let the pancakes cook until tiny bubbles appear on the surface, then flip them over. Cook another few minutes and remove. Then throw on the next batch!

Enjoy with fresh berries and syrup. Tell me what you think!

Servings: 6
Serving Size:
Nutrition: Calories 372; Carbs 60g; Fat 8g; Protein 14g; Sodium 1249mg

Because in Congo, 1,100 Women a Month are Raped

Take the time to read this today.

Enough said. Thank you, Eve Ensler.

Lunch this Week: Roasted Eggplant-Red Pepper-Caramelized Onion-Mozzarella-Sun Dried Tomato Spread Wraps

I know... what a mouthful. But I promise it's worth reading the entire title! Ten points to anyone who comes up with a shorter, better name.

The inspiration for this week's lunch comes from Ankara's Cafe, one of my favorite places in Boston. For those of you familiar with their gargantuan wraps, this one is on the smaller (and healthier) side but should be pretty similar! So despite living in DC, I can relive all of the joy of a wrap combining so many wonderful ingredients: roasted eggplant, roasted red pepper, caramelized onions, fresh mozzarella cheese, and sun-dried tomato spread.

Roasted Eggplant and Red Peppers
Roasting vegetables is a relatively fancy way of simply saying 'put them in the oven for a while.' So to start, I sliced up 1 good-sized eggplant and two red peppers. I cut them into strips that were about two inches long and half an inch wide. Then simply place them on a greased cookie sheet and cook at 400 for about 30-40 minutes. Check on them every 10-15 minutes and flip them over to brown evenly and avoid burning. Remember, as you roast the vegetables they will shrink a good amount. In the end, this amount will make 4-5 wraps, perfect for a week of lunches.

Caramelized Onions
While those are cooking it's time to caramelize the onions! These are one of my absolute favorites. Use them on sandwiches/wraps, as a pizza topping, and to add a sweet flavor to a pasta dish. Although you can technically caramelize with any onion (or even leeks) Vidalia onions are definitely the best for this. They are already naturally sweet so most of the cooking process is about bringing that out.

Slice up your onion. I used one in this recipe, but Vidalia onions are very large (about 4" in diameter.) If you are using regular onions you might want to use two. Do not worry about chopping them finely, since caramelized onions are generally kept in strings. Heat up some butter in a pan (about a teaspoon.) This is one of the very few times you will see me suggest butter rather than olive oil. In this case, it does help with the caramelizing process. Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly to avoid sticking to the pan or burning. Once the onions have become nearly translucent, add some brown sugar. I tend to sprinkle it in with my hands. For one very large vidalia onion or two regular ones I would add about a tablespoon. Stir it in and continue sauteing. After another ten minutes repeat the process with the brown sugar. Continue cooking for roughly another ten minutes or until the onions are uniformly browned and thoroughly cooked through. Feel free to taste one as a test if you are unsure about the amount of brown sugar to use.

Sun-dried Tomato Paste

In my mind, sun-dried tomatoes are sadly underused and are a terrific addition to pretty much everything. While you could certainly use straight sundried tomatoes in this recipe, I decided to make a pesto paste with them to add some additional basil flavoring. A quick google search turned up this recipe.

I recommend it! Make sure to use sun-dried tomatoes that are NOT in oil to save on calories and fat. I also used closer to 3/4 cup of them to emphasize their taste in the spread.

This made about 1.5 cups for me, far more than needed for 4-5 wraps. Feel free to make less, or if you are feeling creative, use this as a sauce for some fish or chicken. I would recommend using it with a lighter white fish (tilapia, sole, halibut) or a snapper of some sort but it could probably work with anything. Simply spread it on some filets cooking in a pan or on the grill.

Now that you have all of your ingredients, put them together, add some slices of fresh mozzarella, and your wrap is good to go! I wrapped mine in saran wrap surrounded by foil so that I can warm it up at the office in the microwave, still in the plastic wrap, without it falling apart.

Taco Night

Is a group suddenly descending on your house? Do you need a quick meal that is nicer than pizza? Need to satisfy diverse tastes and eating restrictions? Or even just want a quiet but fun night in? Taco nights are a good answer.

As a non-meat lover I always prefer to make vegetarian and seafood dishes. While I can often get away with this, sometimes meat or chicken is needed for a big group, and honestly, simply for ease and cost. Luckily, taco nights can please everyone. Last night I quickly whipped up fish, buffalo, and vegetarian tacos for a group of 6-8 in no time at all. Ready to join the taco fun?

The first step is to decide what kind of tacos you want to serve and with what sides. We decided to have fish tacos, buffalo tacos, and the ability to simply have vegetarian tacos. This meant preparing the fish, the buffalo, a stir-fry of onions and peppers, fresh guac, and a few other "fillers" such as grated cheese and chopped tomato.

Fish Tacos
(Yeah yeah...insert the joke... I know...)
And now that that is out of our system! Most of my inspiration (and even straight use) for this recipe comes from Cooking Light. But, of course, I made a few changes...

I like to start with either catfish or tilapia for these. Either one works extremely well and provides plenty of options for improvisation. Feel free not to follow along exactly if you are feeling adventurous. But following along with Cooking Light, I cut these pieces of fish up into strips that are about 1/2 inch wide and 1.5-2 inches long. If you are in a hurry, instead of mixing up the coating and shaking it in a bowl, just place the strips on a baking sheet and sprinkle red pepper and bread crumbs over them. I sprinkle lightly just to have a hint of breading rather than an actual coating. And feel free to substitute run-of-the-mill bread crumbs if you do not have panko handy.

While the fish is cooking, it's time for some fresh salsa! Cooking Light calls for peach salsa, but I much prefer to make these fish tacos with mango salsa. Follow along the recipe, but simply substitute two mangoes where it calls for two peaches. I prefer the contrast of the mango to the fish, but if you prefer stick with peach or do one of each! Get crazy!

Buffalo Tacos
Not feeling quite that frisky? Yes, you can simply use ground beef here instead. But who wants to do that when you could be using buffalo which is both more interesting and also healthier?

Heat up a little bit of olive oil in a pan (I always put in just a teaspoon or two at the most whenever I am cooking on the stove.) Heat the oil over medium heat and then add the ground meat. Sprinkle on black pepper and garlic to taste. Continue stirring the ground beef, making sure to chop it with a spatula as you stir. Cook until browned, about 15-20 minutes.

Guacamole
Personally, this is my favorite part. I make guacamole constantly and pretty much eat it on everything - veggie burgers, eggs, sandwiches, or just with chips. How can you go wrong with guacamole?

This recipe is estimated for two avocados, but feel free to adjust it for as many or as few as you want. Last night I used three, but have made as many as six at a time. Just make sure that you select very ripe, or even overly ripe, avocados. They should be definitely soft when you push on them but not so soft that they are pure mush in your hands.

As you follow this recipe keep in mind that I never measure; these are all estimates. Taste your creation and feel free to adjust to your own tastes. Do not worry about getting caught up in the details!

Peel the avocados and remove the pits. Chop the avocado into manageable chunks, probably no more than 1 square inch. Put them in a bowl with roughly 1/3 cup chopped onion (red onion is better here but any is fine), 2 crushed or very finely chopped garlic cloves, salt, roughly 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1/3-1/2 cup chopped tomato. Take a large spoon and mix together, but continually press the spoon against the avocado pieces, "mushing" them down until you get the proper consistency. It is great if little chunks of avocado are left but it should be smooth enough to easily eat with a chip.

Try not to eat it all before the guests show up.

Sides: Onions and peppers, tomatoes, cheese
You can prepare any other sides that you enjoy with your tacos. Last night I stir-fried some peppers and onions both as a side and also to double as a vegetarian option. I used green peppers and vidalia onions, which are my favorites. (Vidalia onions are the large, sweeter white onions.) Slice the vegetables into strips, heat up a little olive oil in the pan, and cook the peppers and onions until they are lightly browned. Make sure that you are stirring often to avoid burning. Also, do not be afraid if your pan looks a little overflowing when you start. The onions and peppers will shrink as they are cooked. Last night, I made 2 green peppers and about 1 cup of onions.

Finally, I completed our taco fillings with chopped tomato and grated cheese. You can use whatever cheese you want, but most supermarkets have a "mexican" mix that includes cheddar and monterey jack. You can also put out lettuce or any other personal favorites.

Cornbread
At last, as a side to complete our meal, I made some cornbread. This is an incredibly easy recipe. In fact, I simply made the recipe from the back of my corn meal. I won't risk any plagiarizing by re-typing it here, but simply buy a bag of corn meal and the recipe should be right there! It's very simple, with flour, eggs, etc. Mix it up, throw it into a pan, and bake away! It takes only ten minutes at the most to mix together but is an exciting, slightly more unusual side that goes well with the Mexican theme of the evening.

Let me know if you have any questions or other great taco night ideas that I missed!

Why a Woman?

With the retirement of Justice David Souter, President Obama will soon be nominating his first potential justice of the Supreme Court. If we are to believe the names that have been leaked as possibilities, chances are it will be a woman. Which is great, right? No. At least, not necessarily.

The pressures are tremendous. Top women's organizations and many top female politicians have been lobbying hard since the minute that Justice Souter announced his retirement. Just one woman is currently on the court, they say. Women make up 51% of the population, they say. We need equality, they say. So President Obama must absolutely nominate a woman to the Supreme Court.

Sorry, but no.

I would absolutely love to see another woman on the Supreme Court. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (who, fyi, is a sorority sister of mine!) is there alone, getting older, and very much wants another woman on the court. It would send a reminder to young girls everywhere that they can be anything that they want to be, and in a time when a large part of the female population thinks it's acceptable to be a victim of domestic abuse, that reminder is very much needed. Basically, having a woman nominated would be fantastic.

But nominating a woman because she is a woman is absolutely the wrong way to go.

Instead of pushing for women, organizations should be putting forward the best candidates. If those are women, fantastic. But why limit yourself? Roe v. Wade was decided by a 100% male supreme court. Men support women's rights too. Can't we trust that the best justices are making the best decisions?

Generally, those lobbying for a woman are Democrats, liberals. They probably voted for the President; most likely they support him. I do. So can't we trust him?

To me, only seriously considering women, and then nominating a woman because you want a second woman on the court, is anti-feminist. Maybe these women on the short list are the best candidates. Maybe the woman who ends up nominated (if it is indeed a woman in the end) is the very best possible candidate of all men AND women. But how will we know?

We won't. If a woman is nominated due to pressure, if a woman is nominated to have a woman on the court, then critics will forever be able to say she is there due to her gender and not her credentials. Of course, she will be qualified. Of course, she will have a great resume. But that doesn't make her the very best possible. And the Supreme Court should be the very best. And when a woman gets there, it should be because she is the very best.

I want to see women on the Supreme Court. I want to see more women in Congress. I want to one day see a woman president. I want all of those things, and then I want to not care because it's not a big deal when women are in all of those places.

But you will never see me support someone because she is a woman. Support the best candidate and give women the opportunity to be that best one.

I am woman, hear me roar. And don't give me a special opportunity. Hire me because I'm the best.

Cooking with Cocktails

Because who wants to cook without them?

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but once I start cooking the more I enjoy a cocktail. I'm not sure if it's the food itself, the enjoyment of cooking, or just something about standing in my kitchen, but as my kitchen gets messier the more I look forward to a refreshing cocktail.

Often as not, the cocktail turns into a glass of wine - perhaps sneaking a glass from the bottle that will later be served to whoever is dining with me. But sometimes I want the cocktail itself. So here are three of my favorites:

(Clearly I do not measure anything, so just experiment and go with what tastes good!)

Appletini
Ingredients: vodka (roughly a shot or so), apple schnapps (a little less than the vodka), apple juice (just a splash)
Shake the three together in a martini shaker or just two cups stuck together. Strain into a martini glass and enjoy!

Margarita
Ingredients: PATRON (there is no other tequila), cointreau, lime juice
Optional ingredient: chambord
Shake the primary ingredients together, strain, and serve. If you are adding chambord float a splash of it on top.

Lemon Drop Martini
Ingredients: vodka, limoncello, lemon juice (and a splash of lemonade if you want it less strong)
Put sugar on a plate. Lightly wet the rim of a martini glass and turn it upside down into the sugar, coating the rim. Then shake all of the ingredients together and pour into your sugared glass.

I promise you - the sugar glass is important! Just doesn't taste the same without it! You can also salt a rim for your margarita but I enjoy mine non-salted.

These will taste much better with better vodka, but feel free to buy a basic apple pucker for the schnapps in the appletini. I actually enjoy it more than many of the expensive schapps options!

The best part about this? No matter how hot your kitchen may be or how tired you are, you'll already be in a great mood by the time your guests show up!

....just make sure that while you're cooking you can still tell the difference between the salt and sugar bottles....

Website help?

Thank you for visiting my site! The general idea is that this blog will be a temporary one while I work on a much more expansive site in Dreamweaver. Sadly, however, Dreamweaver seems to be kicking my ass right now. If you know how to use it, please let me know! I'd love any and all help to get my actual vision for this blog up and running soon. Thanks!

1/2 cup of work, 1/3 cup of love, and a dollop of money mixed in

Insert corny joke about the recipe of life. We can buy books upon books of recipes, google to our heart’s content, and consult with all of our friends. But what is the recipe to happiness in life?

Yeah, I went there.

Cheesiness aside, what IS the secret to happiness? To fulfillment?

A friend recently invited me to go to Egypt with her at the end of the summer. Of course, money is a concern, but my first thought was actually ‘I can’t take the time off work.’ And truth be told, neither could she, except that she is leaving her job in a month to head back to school and has the entire summer off. This is a much deserved summer off since she spent the previous three years working 80+ hours a week. Which brings up the question once again… what should our priorities be in life? What brings happiness?

I have to admit, while I am full of ambition, work is not the only priority on my list. (Yes, I did just come from a 100+ hr a week job for the past year and a half. But electing Barack belongs in its own special category.) I want to work hard, don’t get me wrong. I want to work hard and excel and accomplish goals. But I also want to live a life outside of work. I want to be able to take vacation, spend time with people I care about, and generally enjoy life. Because if we are not happy, what else really is there?

I have many friends across the country in many different industries. Some have more vacation and some have less. But the biggest variable is where their country is based. Those who work for American companies have far fewer vacation days than those who work for foreign companies, especially European ones. In fact, according to the wondrous source that is Wikipedia, the US ranks near the top of the list in hours worked per year:

Somewhat surprising, I know. The country so often characterized by the world as greedy, obnoxious, and lazy actually works quite hard. Or at least as hard as…. Greece? (Better to move on and not ask too many questions.)

While we are not quite up there with Japan, we are pretty close. We average 1,777 hours a year of working time compared to 1,346 hours for France or 1,362 hours for Germany.

And not only do we work hard, we don’t get very many vacation days:


Source

This site generously gave us 15 days on average, although many others ranked us with a measly 10. (Note: these are paid vacation days and do not include holidays.) 10 or 15 days a year. 2-3 weeks. If you want some time at Christmas, some time during a kid’s spring break, and a long weekend or two then you are out of time. I guess the ski vacation is waiting. Or that trip to Egypt at the end of the summer.

And yes, for all of you doing the math in your head, while we’re at the high end these are still not crazy hours being discussed. I do not want to go overboard and say that every American spends all of their time working. So let’s do that math. The average American takes 10 days off a year (even if we receive 15 for some odd reason we do not take our full vacation according to all of the above websites). So 1,777 hours spread out over 50 weeks is 35.54 hours a week. Doesn’t sound so bad after all, does it? So exactly how much does France work? 1,346 hours over 46 weeks is 29.26 hours per week. Interesting indeed.

I guess we can’t complain too much. But still, maybe there is a balance to be found. Industriousness is great, but by working long hours and taking little vacation are we being more successful? Are our kids smarter? No. Do we make more money? Better, but still no. Are we happier? Nope.

So who is?

Denmark.

Denmark, a country Americans probably don’t spend much time talking about (it’s not in the news – another indication its doing well) ranks near the top in pretty much everything. They are the happiest country on earth. They are near the top in wealth. They do quite well in education. They are one of the most peaceful countries on the planet. And what is their work/vacation balance? I think without looking above you can guess that they are near the bottom in hours worked and near the top in vacation days. (And yes, I realize these two charts might very well have an inverse relationship.)

So skipping all of the other variables, (because where is the fun if we cannot do that?) Denmark has a lot of vacation, does not spend all of its time working, and is the happiest place on Earth.

Once again, interesting. Americans might work more hours, but we’re not happier, or even richer, for it. And does working more always equal productivity? I think anyone could tell you that’s a no. Happier people work harder. People with a personal investment work harder. Workers who respect and care about their company work harder. And people who get along together as a team (and happiness helps in getting along) work harder.

So what is the right balance? Should Americans work less? Work more hours in fewer days to have more vacation? Or take more time to watch the sun set? It’s a decision everyone needs to make on their own about their priorities. And then we if we all agree we can ask the US to respect our mutual decision.

Or we can all move to Denmark. Happiest place on earth. Or maybe Disney World?

Tonight: Lemon-Macadamia Tilapia

Looking for a fast meal that appears fancy? This is it. It's great! Whip it up for a significant other and let them think you spent all day slaving over the stove for a romantic dinner. I promise not to tell them otherwise.

I make this recipe with tilapia, one of my staple fishes. I tend to buy large amounts of it fresh at Whole Foods and keep it frozen in my freezer for just such last-minute dinners. It's a "beginner" fish, good for people new to seafood, it's healthy (very low in mercury), and it's cheap. Even at a high end store such as Whole Foods it often only runs around $6-$7 a pound. If you are not a tilapia fan, however, feel free to substitute another light, white fish such as flounder, sole, or catfish.

If you keep your fish frozen, make sure to take it out of the freezer when you are heading to work. It can defrost in a refrigerator throughout the day or at air temperature for a couple hours. (Note: cats and fish on the counter do not go well together.) Once it's defrosted, or if it was already fresh, we are ready to begin!

1) Marinate the fish in lemon juice for 10-15 minutes. Don't overthink this step - just throw the fish in a dish, or even on a plate with a dip in the center, and poor a bit of lemon juice over it. Think a sprinkling rather than a drenching.
2) After marinating, dredge the fish in flour, making sure to get a thin coating on each side. Do not worry if only a little sticks - that's perfect.
3) Heat a drop of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the fish when it's hot.
4) Cut up fresh lemons into wedges and place them on and around the fish in the pan. You can use as few or as many as you want, but I prefer to add lemon wedges quite liberally - probably two or three lemons per pound of fish.
5) Toss chopped, slivered, or crushed macadamia nuts in the pan, on and around the fish, as well. Again, in my mind, the more the better.
6) Cook for about 10 minutes or until done, flipping the fish halfway through.

Done!

Don't hesitate to cut a filet of fish in half with your spatula to check to see if it's done. In my experience, dinner guests care a lot more about the taste than a split filet! Let me know how it goes!

Lunch this Week: Babaghanouj wrap and Berry Salad with Goat Cheese Dressing

Take your lunch to work! Save some money and eat healthy. (Or maybe due to the economy I should be encouraging everyone to buy....?)

Every weekend I plan out my lunches for the week, buy the ingredients, and cook up a storm. The cooking typically happens Sunday night and the idea is to make enough to last the week. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's off a little, but it's always fun. You also get the exciting bonus points of staying dry while you're enjoying a healthy homemade lunch and your co-worker is sprinting through the rain to Subway.

Since I am generally always running late in the morning I package up my individual lunch for the next day before I go to bed every night. This way I can just grab it with my coffee mug on the way out of my apartment. Just don't let yourself be too lazy the night before! If you're anything like me (i.e. not a morning person) then if it's not ready to go, it's not going.

I try to vary what I make to avoid getting bored and mix it up with sides and such. This week I made a Berry Salad with Goat Cheese Dressing and Babaghanouj wraps, and then brought along a cup of apple sauce as well.

Thanks CookingLight! Check out the recipe in the link above. It calls for mostly romaine with a touch of arugula, but I reversed that. Best to double check that you like arugula, however, before doing so. While it's incredibly healthy, it provides a more bitter taste to your salad. I mixed up the salad, complete with berries, on Sunday night and then prepared the dressing separately. This way I can put some salad in a container every night and then add the dressing at that point, avoiding the sogginess from sitting fully prepared in my fridge all week.

I also made fresh babaghanouj on Sunday night. This is a middle eastern eggplant spread. It can be made in several variations, but here is one of my favorites:

1) Poke an eggplant with a fork all over and then broil it, whole, for about 15 min.
2) When the eggplant is cool peel off the skin.
3) Put the eggplant in a food process with tahini sauce (1/2 c), salt, pepper, garlic (1-3 cloves depending on taste), lemon juice (1-2 tbsp), and some olive oil. Process until smooth.

How much olive oil depends on taste and fat content allowed. I typically only use a little, perhaps a tablespoon or two, but you can use up to 1/4 cup if you prefer. Make sure that if you increase the olive oil up to the 1/4 c that you pare down the tahini sauce to avoid making your babaghanouj too watery.


Spoon some fresh babaghanouj into a wrap, add some tomato, lettuce, or cucumber to taste (I just like the tomato option best) and wrap up in foil to have it ready to go for the next morning! Leave the rest of the babaghanouj in a bowl in the refrigerator, ready to be doled out each night.


I also toss in a little cup of apple sauce to go as a side to my meal.

Enjoy! Let me know what you think.

On Cooking in the Capitol.... part I

What is feminism today? Who is a feminist today? Merriam Webster defines feminism as “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” Ick.

I am a twenty-five year old MIT graduate who recently spent a year and a half of her life traveling the country to elect President Barack Obama. (He won, if you missed that.) I am an ardent feminist, yet I deign to be labeled that way. I unequivocally believe in women’s rights; I believe fully in the theory that women are the political, economic, and social equal of men. No question about it. But then, that really isn’t the issue, is it?

I am a twenty-five year old MIT graduate, hell bent on women’s issues, who also loves frilly skirts, pink dresses, and endless heels. I enjoy wearing sexy outfits and generally enjoy the catcalls I get when I’m walking down the street. (Although sometimes I’m just confused… really? In my work out clothes when I’ve just come from the gym? Talk about desperation.) I enjoy dressing up, jewelry, make-up, knitting, and jewelry.

And more than anything else, I enjoy cooking. What would life be without cooking? Without food? Without lavish dinner parties, intricate gourmet meals, and creative cocktails? You will not see a mix of any sort in my kitchen. Expect lots of fruit, vegetables, and seafood. Expect everything made from scratch. Expect return visitors for dinner.

Food rules our days – whether it be the rush to make sure you at least have coffee en route to the office, counting the minutes until you enjoy a splash of sunshine as you grab your lunch on break, or debating the easiest method to dinner after a long day. But why can’t food be fun? Cooking healthy, fun, even fancy, meals does not have to be a chore. Embrace the smells and tastes, mix up a cocktail to enjoy as you splash around your kitchen, and invite others over to enjoy the fun. Not enough time? Make plenty for leftovers or shortcut by prepping in advance.

Had yet another bad date? Lonesome on a Friday night? Want the best food to curl up with in front of the TV? To use to entertain? To look fancy when it’s not? You’ve come to the right place. Welcome to the world of cooking, eating, and generally having fun while being young in DC. Explore my kitchen, experiment, and get out into the city! Follow along as I cook, live, love, and laugh and make sure that you are doing the same.

Oh, and of course, support equality while wearing stilettos. I do. And I’ll make sure you know it.